Molly Seidel.Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty

molly seidel

Molly Seidel’s neat streak doesn’t stop when she’s on the job.The 26-year-old Olympic marathoner tells PEOPLE that she doesn’t have any superstitions when it comes to her competitions.She explains, “I don’t really have like a certain meal that I need to eat or things I need to do just because I’ve had to travel around so much and I found that a lot of times before a race, especially if you’re in a different country, it’s very hard to stick to those type of routines.“But yet, Seidel — who was a surprise second-place finisher at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, earning her a spot on the three-person Olympic teamin her first-ever marathon— says she has one way of “putting my mind at ease.““I love to fold my clothes right before I go to the line,” she admits. “So I’ll fold all my warmup gear, kinda just like putting them all in a neat little pile and then after that I feel like I’m ready to go to the line.“Molly Seidel.Ian Walton/PA Images via GettyIt hasn’t gotten in the way of her success though — most of the time. Says Seidel, “I definitely had times, though, where my coach was like yelling at me, like, ‘You got to get to the line now!’ and I’m like, ‘I gotta fold all my shirts!’ “To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics beginning July 23rd and the Tokyo Paralympics beginning August 24th on NBC.

Molly Seidel’s neat streak doesn’t stop when she’s on the job.

The 26-year-old Olympic marathoner tells PEOPLE that she doesn’t have any superstitions when it comes to her competitions.

She explains, “I don’t really have like a certain meal that I need to eat or things I need to do just because I’ve had to travel around so much and I found that a lot of times before a race, especially if you’re in a different country, it’s very hard to stick to those type of routines.”

But yet, Seidel — who was a surprise second-place finisher at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, earning her a spot on the three-person Olympic teamin her first-ever marathon— says she has one way of “putting my mind at ease.”

“I love to fold my clothes right before I go to the line,” she admits. “So I’ll fold all my warmup gear, kinda just like putting them all in a neat little pile and then after that I feel like I’m ready to go to the line.”

Molly Seidel.Ian Walton/PA Images via Getty

molly seidel

It hasn’t gotten in the way of her success though — most of the time. Says Seidel, “I definitely had times, though, where my coach was like yelling at me, like, ‘You got to get to the line now!’ and I’m like, ‘I gotta fold all my shirts!’ "

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visitTeamUSA.org. Watch the Tokyo Olympics beginning July 23rd and the Tokyo Paralympics beginning August 24th on NBC.

Julie Mazziotta

source: people.com